


Complicated Situations

by Notthatnaturaldean



Series: POTC Soulmate AU series woop [2]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Flirting, Curses, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25682137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notthatnaturaldean/pseuds/Notthatnaturaldean
Summary: Sequel to "Inevitable Meetings" (might not make sense if you don't read them in order, but you do you)Norrington can't stop thinking about his soulmate and his infuriating smirk, but when Sparrow basically gives them a plan to capture the Black Pearl on a silver platter and handcuffed hands, how is he to resist? A curse that makes someone and their soulmate undead immortal beings, however, was not part of their deal.
Relationships: James Norrington/Jack Sparrow
Series: POTC Soulmate AU series woop [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862296
Comments: 10
Kudos: 46





	1. Fake Identities Don't Always Help

**Author's Note:**

> you guys have requested a sequel forever and this is one ive really wanted to work on again, i just love their dynamic!!
> 
> comments and critiques are always helpful and vv appreciated lovelies -- i wanna know what you think about it 
> 
> fair warning the first chapter is def filler just for clarification of later how later Barbossa assumes that they're soulmates bc Lizzy lies about being Will's wife and how the curse affects soulmates

The waves rolled out over the dark horizon, nothing more than lines of silver thread gleaming through the fog. Elizabeth was glad for the brightness of the full moon as she was led aboard the Black Pearl. She was trembling both with adrenaline and the cold night, the medallion hanging cold and heavy against her chest. There were flashes of cannonfire, and her thoughts strayed to her father and Will, and she silently prayed that they were both hidden in their homes.   


The two pirates who brought her aboard shoved her foreward, and she fell against the chest of a pirate who reeked of alcohol and sweat, but still, he had an air of authority among the rest of the crew and she immediately recognized him as the captain. 

He shoved her off of him with a gentle force that surprised her -- she had expected him to be rough. Violent. She immediately cursed her thoughts, a little part of her that was excited to be this close to pirates and the real danger they presented to her. 

"Apologies, miss, for the auctions of me crew."

"Captain Barbossa, I am here to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal," she stated, holding her head proudly and trying to portay confidence that she didn't feel as she hid her shaky hands in the sleeves of her nightgown. 

  
"There are a lot of long words in there, miss -- we're not but humble pirates," Barbossa chucked, amusement spreading throughout the pirates at her attempts at formality. 

"What is it that you want?"

  
Their laughter angered Elizabeth, and she answered with a sneer. 

  
"I want you to leave and never come back." 

  
The crew laughed even more at the naive English girl trying to stand up to their captain, and even he acted like she was just a toy to bat around until he got bored of her. 

  
"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request," he said, bowing sarcastically. "Means no." 

Her eyes narrowed as she pulled the medallion from her neck. It was a risky move, but she had nothing else to tempt them into complying with her demands. She walked over to the railing and held the medallion over the inky darkness of the port.

  
"I'll drop it."  


The crew all instinctively stepped forward as if pulled to the medallion like a siren calls in her victims. 

"Got you," she thought smugly. Barbossa held up his hand to stop his crew, his calculating gaze piercing through Elizabeth, but she held his gaze, determined to prove that it was a true threat.   


The pirate held out his hands and turned side to side as if showing off his ship.   


"The holds are burstin' with swag, that bit of shine matters not to us...Why?"   


The panic in his voice as he questioned her made her smirk as clarity filled her eyes.   


"That's what you've been searching for?!" she accused, turning to face him as the splintered wood of the railing dug into her back. "I recognize the ship, I saw it eight years ago on the crossing from England!"

  
"Did you now?" Barbossa said, crossing his arms mockingly, yet keeping his eyes locked on the gold. 

  
His act of indifference spurred Elizabeth into acting ignorant. "Fine, if he wants to play stupid, I guess I'll do the same," she thought crossly.

  
"Fine. Well, I suppose if it is worthless, then there's no point in me keeping it," she pouted, her eyebrows furrowed as she pretended to be deep in thought at the coin's worth. She let part of the chain slide through her fingers, and watched with glee as the crew cried out, reaching out as if to catch it.

  
A look of fury rolled over Barbossa's face like a wave crashing against the shore as he stared at her. It went as quickly as it came, and as he smoothed down the front lapels of his coat he assumed an air of calmness, as if this was a normal civil conversation in a parlor rather than one on a pirate ship in the middle of a raid. 

  
"You have a name, missy?" 

  
"Elizabeth..." 

  
She had to think quickly, and frantically tried to think of a plausible story. If they knew she was the daughter of the governor, they would either kill her or use her as a ransom against Port Royal.

  
"...Turner," she all but cried out, Will's face swimming in her thoughts, her worry for him coming to light as she panicked in front of them. "Elizabeth Turner. I'm a maid in the governnor's household." 

  
A murmur swept through the crew, and Barbossa's face lit up. "Miss Turner," he repeated, a smile replacing his scowl at her defiant nature. "And how does a maid come to own a trinket such as that? Family heirloom, perhaps?" Now it was his turn to smirk as she stared at him, head tilted, like he was sharing an inside joke with the crew. 

  
"I didn't steal it, if that's what you mean," she said defensively, confused about why they were suddenly interested in the name Turner. Surely that couldn't be a good sign for either her or Will that they recognized the surname. 

  
Barbossa held out his hand, and spoke loudly, as if proclaiming a new decree like the government officials from England. "Very well," he stated. "You hand it over and we'll put your town to our rudder and ne'er return." 

  
Elizabeth glared at him, trying to find a way that he could break their deal as she slid the medallion into his hand. It fell with a small clink of metal against metal, and his polite smile turned sly and dangerous as he turned to address the crew.

"Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner!"


	2. The Curse of Cortez

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once trapped upon the Black Pearl, Elizabeth learns of the true meaning of the medallion, and what it does to both thieves and soulmates alike.

Elizabeth jumped at the loud thud of the door behind her, every one of her muscles tense like she was in the middle of battle. She gazed around, the brightly lit and cluttered room looked nothing like the rest of the dark and ancient ship, yet she could still sense the danger she felt when she first climbed aboard two days ago.

Barbossa smiled at her fear, and beckoned her to the large dining table with a curled finger.

Forcing a polite expression on her face, she sat as far away from him as she could without being obvious, still wary of his mood swings around her. He could turn from the perfect gentleman captain to another dirty pirate leering at her in a second.

The room was deathly silent, until Barbossa pulled out the medallion, its gold chain clinking daintily throughout the room.

"You don't know what this is, do ye'? " he stated, not asking a question but rather talking to himself, finding the reason she so easily gave it to him as an offering.

She shrugged her shoulders. "It's a pirate medallion," she said, feigning an air of importance, his smug question stinging her pride.

"This is Aztec gold," he said. "One of eight-hundred and eighty-two identical pieces delivered in a stone chest to Cortez himself. Blood money payed to stem the slaughter he reaped upon them with his armies. The greed of Cortez was insatiable; so the heathen gods placed upon the gold a terrible curse."

He was no longer looking at her, but instead gazing blankly at the shadows thrown upon the wall by the dimming candles, as if lost in a dream, far, far away.

"Any mortal that removes but a single piece from that stone chest should be punished for eternity. No food, drink, or warmth would ever touch their souls, nor their soulmates either; for the gods punished both, their souls intertwined in this hellish punishment for eternity."

Silence once again permeated the air, but his dramatic flair made Elizabeth huff and cross her arms.

"I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa."

He finally turned his eyes on her, but when he did she wished that he was still caught in his thoughts, his mournful eyes piercing through her as if she wasn't there at all.

"Aye, that's exactly what I thought when we were first told the tale -- buried on an island of dead that cannot be found except by those who know where it is. And find it we did. There be the chest...inside be the gold...and we took 'em all!"

He snatched invisible gold in front of her, and the quick action startled her. Her chair leg scrapped loudly against the wood boards as she scooted backwards to avoid being hit by his flailing hands, but he didn't even seem to notice the interruption, too lost in regretful memories.

"We spent 'em an' traded em', fretted em' away on drink and food and pleasurable company; but the more we traded em' away, the more we came to realize the drink would not satisfy...food turn to ash in our mouths...and all the pleasurable company in the world could not stop our lust. We are cursed men, Miss Turner. There is one way we can end our curse -- all the scattered pieces of the Aztec gold must be restored and the blood repaid."

Once he finished his tale, he leaned back heavily against the seat like he was exhausted from recounting his sorrowful story.

She furrowed her brow as she tried to determine whether or not he was telling the truth. He truly seemed to believe that he and his crew were cursed, yet a logical part of her mind told her that this was ridiculous -- it was just a tale to make her pity him so he could use it against her later. He was, after all, a pirate. That's what they do.

No matter how logical, she decided that if his tale was true, she was grateful that she wasn't any of their soulmates -- being cursed for the actions of another would be truly horrible.

They heard a quick rapping of knuckles on the window of the door, and the head of a balding pirate appeared.

He mumbled something quickly and continuously rubbed a dirty rag across his head like he was rubbing away sweat that wasn't there. Elizabeth scarcely heard what he had whispered, but evidently by the way Barbossa strode out of the room, he had heard and it was important.

The captain didn't even glance at Elizabeth as he passed her, leaving her sitting alone with the ever appearing shadows as the candles melted and the door banged shut once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and critiques appreciated <33
> 
> still h e a v i l y based on scenes from the black pearl mainly bc i wanted to rewrite the backstory of the medallion with soulmates to make it fit the story more :D


	3. Coins and Crushes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack leads Norrington and his men to the cave where Barbossa is trying to remove the curse, but Jack uses the curse to protect himself and (accidentally protect) his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and feedback appreciated lovelies <3

The Dauntless sat calmly on the silver waves, the silence only broken by waves crashing against the craggy cliffs of the nearby rocks. 

  
James Norrington stood at the helm of his ship, straining to hear any sounds that would alert them to the presence of the pirates he knew to be lurking nearby.   


His ship was the only visible one for miles in the bright moonlight, and he prayed dearly that Sparrow hadn't led them into an ambush.

Sparrow. Everything about that man; that pirate irked him. James couldn't even blame his anger toward him on anything specific -- everything about his very being, his personality and subconscious actions annoyed him. His strut, his foolish pride, his hidden care underneath it all...it made James regret ever hearing the word "soulmate." 

Yet, even without Elizabeth agreeing to his proposal, he would have followed Jack. He didn't necessarily care about Turner; it was obvious that once he was returned to Elizabeth that she would likely once again reject him, and James supposed that he was meant to live a lonely life, a cruel trick by Fate to be bound to the one man that James would refuse on principle alone.   


Jack was everything that James had once longed to be and had now turned from in hopes of honor and accomplishment. 

When he was a boy he had wished to travel the seas, to find hidden treasures and sail toward his slightest whims, unbound by his studies and father's harsh words and controlling fist. But he was a grown man now, and grown men simply didn't run to sea looking for mermaids and curses and whatever else Jack might be running toward right now.

James turned his head toward the opening of the cave, where he saw a flicker of light, and internally grinned. Jack had been telling the truth. 

Silently, he motioned Gillette over. He tilted his head at him, but he simply pulled him closer by his elbow. 

  
"I'm going in there, I need you to alert the men to stay on guard. I fear these pirates will try and surround us without our knowledge." 

  
The younger man furrowed his brows. 

  
"You aren't going in there alone; they'll kill you on sight."   


He sighed. He knew Gillette would be stubborn; his proper military stance and tactics would give them away the minute they walked in, and James was determined to not give away their ship that easily.   


"I am," he hissed at his officer. "And you are under no circumstances to follow me. That's an order."

He stood up straight and nodded curtly at Norrington, who pulled away and walked toward the side of the ship. He climbed down swiftly, and steadily crept his way to the opening of the cave.   


On the rocky shore, he could hear murmuring in the caves, and with a slight smirk began to advance through the dark. He hid behind a large boulder once inside, and gasped at the sight in front of him.   


Bright flames danced off torches and onto the heaps of gold coins and jewels piled in the middle of the cave. They were surrounded by a small moat of seawater, and James swore it was something from a childhood story, it was so absurd. 

He immediately spotted Captain Barbossa, who was grasping Elizabeth by the arm, holding her in place as he rallied his men around the stone chest on top of the gold. His whole body tensed as if he was under attack, the anger rolling through him at the sight of her that close to that man. He was glaring at Barbossa as he cut her hand, her blood spilling across the chest.   


Confusion spread through his mind as the pirates cried in victory.   


Barbossa threw her in anger once he realized that the curse hadn't been lifted, and as he prepared to run to her, he was frozen in place by a familiar voice.   


"I wouldn't do that if I were ye',mate," Jack whispered in his ear.   


James whirled around, his sword coming to a rest at the pirate's throat.   


Jack merely chuckled and moved the blade away with his finger.   


James frowned. 

  
"What are you doing here? I left you aboard the ship."   


The pirate wiggled his eyebrows.   


"'M a pirate, love. Did you really think I couldn't get me'self out of some chains?" 

  
The commodore rolled his eyes and turned toward the center of the cave.   


"How do you propose we get Miss Swann and Mister Turner out of there?"   


There was no response. 

  
James turned over his shoulder, but Jack wasn't there anymore.

  
"That man is like a damn weasel," James thought, sighing heavily through his nose. 

  
"Hello, mate. Good to see you again. I see that curse is treatin' you well then."

  
The commodore's eyes widened as he saw Jack strut up to Barbossa, who look more annoyed than shocked. 

  
"Now, I know yer all fed up with this Aztec nonsense, but lucky for you I have a proposal." 

  
Barbossa rolled his eyes and grabbed Jack by his jacket. 

  
"What is it ye be wantin' Jack? Or shall we skip the talk and just leave ye on another island, mm?" 

  
Jack wiggled away from Barbossa like a snake, and picked up a handful of coins. 

  
"'M just sayin', that lass ain't a Turner. But, I do happen to have ol' Bootstrap's son here, not to mention half of the British Navy right outside waiting to attack." 

  
James swore under his breath at Jack's betrayal, even though it should have been obvious that he would tell Barbossa. 

  
"Now me, I just need a crew me'self, and working with ye wouldn't be so bad righ' now. But, think about it. You keep the curse for a few more minutes here, and you could get rid of the Navy bastards, one -" he dropped a single coin, the clink deafening the silent room. "-by -" clink. "- one -" clink. 

  
Barbossa grinned, his wide smile set like a shark's: it was deadly and out of place on such an angry man such as him. He shouted incomprehensible things at his men, whom all began to slink out of the cave in a group, ready to attack the Navy. 

  
James was torn between staying to search for Elizabeth and warning his men, but he knew his choice instinctively. His men had bayonets and training; Elizabeth had neither. He slowly made his way over to where he had seen her tumble into the water, and got there in time to see Turner wake her and move her into a dark corner. 

  
"Good man," he thought begrudgingly, and turned back around to the sound of clanging metal.   
Barbossa and Jack were dueling on the pile of gold, Jack leaping around nimbly as Barbossa slashed heavily and sluggishly toward him. 

  
James ran out of the cave, and boarded the ship.   
The calm sea was a stark difference to the chaos inside the cave, but it quickly became just as bloody. 

  
Undead pirates began swarming the deck from every direction, and James saw red.

  
He slashed and ducked his way across the deck, trying to disarm them and hack away at bones and ragged clothing. 

  
They clearly couldn't die, and James knew that eventually his men would get tired of the endless fighting, and that the pirates would overpower them on immortality alone. He supposed that some curses could be blessings at times, but right now it was a curse to the wrong man. 

  
He ducked under ropes as a zombie stabbed at him, backing him into the railing of the ship. He managed to side swipe the pirate and sent him flying into the inky water. He heard Elizabeth shriek, and as he turned he felt something pierce his middle. 

  
As he looked down, he saw a sword embedded in his ribs. He looked up and locked eyes with the zombie whom the sword belonged to, and he felt...fine. He stumbled back as he pulled out the sword by its hilt, and the zombie gazed in shock. 

  
There was no blood on the sword, and the would began to close itself as if an invisible hand was knitting his flesh back together.

  
He wasted no time in shoving the zombie back, beheading it with the same sword, and joined the fight, refusing to think of what had just happened.

Elizabeth shouted his name once more, but he refused to turn around, instead focusing on slashing through the mass of bones and swords. 

  
Eventually, although he felt no fatigue, he could see his men falling one by one on the deck around him, exhaustion and blades falling upon them. 

  
Suddenly, the pirates all stood still, and began to slowly turn into dust before Norrington's eyes. Within a few minutes, all that remained of their enemy was a few rags and piles of dust blowing across the desk.

  
Norrington sighed deeply, and rushed off the ship once more to check on Jack. He knew that the pirate was probably fine, but worry gnawed at his heart as thoughts rushed through his mind of all the ways that Jack could be wounded or dead. 

  
He rushed inside, and saw Barbossa lying on the ground, a bullet wound through the chest. 

  
Jack was strutting around the pile of gold with a ridiculously over-jeweled crown, throwing coins and chalices around as he looted through it all. 

  
James stumbled through the coins, and at the sound of the clanging metal Jack turned around. 

  
"Oh, 'ello there. Not dead I see." 

James poked him in the chest, anger at his carelessness seeping into his voice. 

  
"No thanks to you. You gave away our fleet and nearly got us all killed." 

  
Jack shrugged, pocketing a few pearl necklaces. 

  
"What do you want me to say, love? It got the job done." 

  
James followed him around like a puppy , and finally dragged Jack in close by his forearm. 

  
"You stole a coin while you were distracting Barbossa." 

  
It wasn't a question.

  
Their noses were nearly touching, and Jack's breath pushed against James's face when he laughed breathlessly. 

  
"You got hurt, didn' ye? I forgot the curse worked on soulmates too." 

  
James frowned, but simply stared at him, trying to distract himself from Jack's breath on his face.

It was addicting, and James started leaning forward before he caught himself.

Jack winked. 

  
"Yer welcome for that too then, darlin'." 

  
He leaned in, exaggeratedly whispering, "I guess ye bein' my soulmate isn't too bad, mate. Saved yer life again." 

  
"You did nothing of the sort!" James half-yelled, flustered and trying to focus on punishing Jack, but the lack of distance between them was making him dizzy. 

  
"It's not because of him," he internally shouted at himself. "It's from the stab wound -- purely a medical problem." 

  
Even as he tried to deny it, he knew the only thing that could make him so flustered and improper would be Jack. It was always Jack. 

  
I'm not helpless enough to have any need or want of your help, pirate." 

  
James stomped away as well as he could as he slid across the slippery coins. 

  
"What, no thank you kiss? Thought a gentleman would know better, Jamie." 

  
James whirled around, ignoring the burning overcoming his face. 

  
"Absolutely not. Don't think anything similar will ever happen either, Mister Sparrow." 

  
Jack laughed at his embarrassment. 

  
"Yer such a Navy, mate. You've got to loosen up or this soulmate thing will ne'er work out." 

  
"I don't plan for it to work out, " James shouted behind him, huffing at the pirate's antics.

  
Sparrow might be skilled with a sword, or even mildly attractive, but he would be damned if he ever let himself love someone like Jack.

  
He was a pirate, he was a man, and he was everything James had been told to stay away from in life. 

  
"You'll come around, love. 'M Captain Jack Sparrow for the gods' sake." 

  
James could hear his smug grin, and he refused to give Jack the satisfaction of turning around to look at it. 

  
"Maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all," the commodore mused as he boarded the Dauntless once again. "After all, I do enjoy a pirate chase."


End file.
